Process for the electroosmotic purification of glue and gelatin



March 23 1926. 1,577,660

W. RUPEL Eff AL Paocfmss Fon THE ELEoTnoosMoTIc PURIFICATION or" Gum AND @LATIN Filed March 1s, 1924 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

PatentedMar. 23, 1926.

l UNITED STATES 1,5??560' fr tric.;

WILHELM RUPPEL, OF BERLIN, AND KUNO WOLF, BERLICHARLOTTENBRG, GERMAN Y, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AMERICAN ELECTRO-OSMOSIS CORPORATION, OF NEW`YORK, IN2-Y.,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PROCESS FOR THE ELECTROOSMOTIC PURIFICATIO OF GL'UE AND GELATIN,

Application filed March 13, 1924. Serial No. 699,153.

lic it known that we, 'WILHELM RUrrni1 and Kxwo Woiii. a citizen ot' Gerii'iany and a subject oiu l--lolfaiuh respectively, residing at Berlin, Schillsti'asse 2, and Berlin-Charlottcnburg` Kanstrasse 85, Germany, respectively, have invented certain new and useful liiil'irotvcniciits iii Processes for the Electi'oosiiiotic Purification otl Glue and Gelatin, ot' which t'lu` following is a specification. The invention relates to improicmcnts in processes and apparatus for purifying glue or gelatin by an electric-osmotic method and consists in conducting the purification between suitable diaphragiiis which divide the .elccti'o-osn'iotic cell into three ioiiipaitments with the material to be treated in the middle conipartnicnt whereby thc diaplirag'iiis se aratc the material from the electrodes in the end coii'ipartnients. vThe practical application of this process, however.- involves a number ot' difficulties. (in the one hand, catliodic or anodic migration ol water produces an nndesiralile dilution oi the solution of glue or gelatin contained in the central coml'iartii'ient of the tlireeoi' multiconi partment cellf 'libc dilution involved in this process produces changes in the concentration which have a marked detrimental eiect on.the electro-chemical procedure. .()n the other hand, both on account of the dimensions of the pores and the electric charge ot the diaphragme employed. tlic valuable colloidal substances migrate into the side chambers containing the electrodes. This loss of material is increased by diffusion at the surfaces of the diaphragms, whether or not current is passing.

According to this invention in its preferred forni all of the above disadvantages are overcome and the process is made most -eliicient bythe use of special diapliragms which separate the glue, gelatin or the like from the electrodes of tlieelectro-osmotic cell between which diaphragms the glue, gelatin or the like is placed to be purified by the current passing therethrough from one electrode to the other. It is impracticable to select quite empirically from the large number of possible combination-s ot dia pliragins that combination which is most suitable tor the process in question.

"Furtlierand more specit'Lc objects, features and advantages will moreclearly appear 'from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which tornis a part of this specification. The drawing is a vertical section through an electio-osiiiotic cell adapted for carrying out the invention.

Referring to the drawing l represents a suitable container divided `vinto three coinpartnients 2, 3 and 4. by semi-permeable dia,- pliragins 5 and 6. In the compartment 2 is pla'fcdran anode 7 and in the compartment 4 is placed a cathode 8,w.hile' the glue or gelatinoussolution to be treated is place'd in the middle conipartment 3. Suitable electrolyte such as ordinary water orwater with a small amount of electrolyte, is placed in the electrode compartments 2 and 4. Upon passage of a suitable electric current-between the electrodes, impurities are carried from the solutions in the middle compartment to the electrodes in the electrode coinfipartments.

By the present invention, arising from the observation that the diaphragms exert an influence on each others action in an elec- I tric'iield, the electrolosmotic purication of glue or gelato-i can-be carried out in a inaniier which is free from .the above-mentioned detects by using an anodic diaphragm of wool fabric impregnated With chromated gelatin and a catliodic diaphragm of parchment.

The ianodic diaphragm may be prepared as follo\\v's:-30 grams ot' gelatin are dissolved in 170 c. c. `about. 51)@ l(lon the Water bath; when it is in solution', grams of finely powdered p0.- tassium bichromate are added, and when this has dissolved, are added 30 c. c. of gvcerin. A closely-woven, but thick woolen l'abi-ic '(stretclied on a frame) is coated on both sides with a thin layer of the solution so obtainedandexposed to sunlight until the yellowish-brown colour has become of water maintained at green. The coating ot' the fabric and its exv l posure to light arc carried out in all three times.

For the cathode diaphragm, commercial parchment can be used.

lVhile We have described our improvements in detail and with respect to preferred forms, we do not desire to be limited to such details or forms since many changes and modifications may be made and the improvements embodied in widely different forms Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broader aspects. Hence we desire to cover all equivalents and all other modifications and forms coming Within the language or scope of any one or more of the appended claims. Vhat n'e claim as new1 and desire to secure by'Letters Patent, is:

l. The process of purifying glue, gelatin and the like which consists in subniitting an aqueous solution thereof vto the action of an electric current with the solution. separated from the electrodes by diaphragme, the anodic diaphgram being of wool fabric impregnated with chromated gelatin and the cathodic diaphragm being et parchment.

2. The process of purifying glue, gelatin and the like which consists in submitting an aqueous solution thereof yto the action of an electric current with' the solution separated troni the electrodes by diaphragme and one of the diaphragms being of fabric.

3. .iin electro-osmotic cell having an anode compartment and a cathode compartment and an intermediate compartment for the l material to be treated, the intermediate com` emmen compartment and a cathode compartment w and an intermediate conlpartment for the material to 1ne treated, the intermediate com partmcnt being separated 'from the eiectrodc compartments by semi permeable dia* 'ihragmsv5 the cathedic diaphragm being of parchment.

5. An elezftrobsmotic ceil having an anode compartment and a cathode vcompartment andan intermediate compartment for the material to be treated, 'the intermediate compartment being Separated from the electrode compartments by semi-permeable diaphragme, the cathodic diaphragme being of parchment and the anodic diaphragm being of Wool fabric impregnated with chromated gelatin.

,In testimony whereof we tures.

affix 'our signa- Peor. WILHELM RUPPEJ.' En.. imi. KUN() lil/GLF. 

